Please excuse the Hurricane fans if they are getting a little excited about what is happening down in Coral Gables.

The Hurricanes are finally equipped with a coaching staff that is doing things the right way, unlike a certain Randy Shannon and Larry Coker did in the past.

The recruiting scene is becoming more like it was when Howard Schnellenberger was on the sidelines. Miami is actually recruiting south Florida first and foremost, while snagging players outside the Sunshine State when it can.

It was proven last year when Miami walked away with ninth-best (according to scout.com) recruiting class in the country. Not bad considering the Hurricanes finished 6-6 the previous season and are still under a NCAA investigation.

For the first time in years, the Hurricanes coaches were able to persuade two 5-star recruits in staying home to play at Miami—Duke Johnson and Tracy Howard.

So don't blame the Miami fans for their over-exuberance—recent history shows that the Hurricanes don't have much to cheer about.

For instance, the Hurricanes haven't won a bowl game since 2006, when they beat the Nevada Wolfpack in the lowly MPC Computers Bowl. They haven't won a conference championship since they were in the Big East in 2003.They lost the Orange Bowl in 2008 when the university decided to start playing its games at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

The list goes on and on.

Now I understand people will make fun of Hurricanes fans saying, "You always live in the past," but so what? It's a new year and technically, everything is in the past.

I promise you one thing, besides the schools, no one else cares or remembers who takes second place—or who wins the Cotton Bowl.

It's national championship or bust, and while many of you don't believe the Hurricanes are that close, try telling the fans that.